Mizu & The Art of Dealing With Resistance
The ancient Japanese framework and philosophy of the Godai 五大 (the five elements) remain relevant in today’s leadership landscape. Going through each one individually and truly getting a sense of how they can help you is time well spent and can be quite rewarding.
What is the Godai 五大?
The Godai 五大 framework is broken down into the following 5 elements and what they symbolize in the lives of those who choose to use them to provide guidance on leading and living:
- Earth (地 Chi): Stability & Integrity.
- Water (水 Mizu): Flow & Resilience.
- Fire (火 Ka): Decisive Action.
- Wind (風 Kaze): Atmosphere & Compassion.
- Void (空 Sora): Ego-less Legacy.
Today, we explore Water (水, mizu), the element of adaptability and composure. This type of energy allows us to shift from a Defensive Reaction to an Empathetic Redirection. Think of this as the ability to find Flow & Resilience in the midst of aggression or resistance. As we talked about last time, if you think about energy as being both hard and soft (which, if you think there is such a thing as soft skills, you think this, btw), this particular element would be thought of as soft energy or yin energy.
To fully understand the alchemy of 水 Mizu, we would do ourselves a great service by remembering that we won’t break when hit metaphorically with the aggression or resistance we experience. We may temporarily yield to the yang energy that is coming at us, but then quickly reassume our shape or grounding.
The energy present in this element is a soft, receptive power. In leadership, this is the ability to be a “Non-Anxious Presence.” When the people we lead become frustrated or aggressive, the Senpai becomes the “Ocean”—absorbing the storm without changing their own nature. Within this element, we also become more curious than defensive about what is happening around us, being able to tap into our Shoshin (beginner’s mind).
How Can We Find More Flow of 水?
There are two main ways to remain connected to and continue to find the path and flow of 水. First, we must recognize that it is a matter of Self-Control (自制 Jisei) to remain still while the environment is in chaos. If you have ever been in a highly emotional situation, you can relate to this. You must choose your response rather than let the situation dictate it. If you attempt to match the energy coming toward you with the same type of energy, you will not get the result you want. Trust me on this, I have tried this many times in my life, and it never leaves me feeling quite right. Even though you might “win” the argument or confrontation, you don’t walk away feeling that way.
Another helpful mindset to practice in these situations is Mushin (無心), the practice of letting go of the mind to stay true to oneself, no matter what is happening around you. It is the ability to act and respond in a manner that resonates with you without having to think about what to do. Our default response system, which we are all born with, is not typically so strong, so it will take some practice to get better at this.
When we experience resistance & obstacles in our workplace or within our personal lives, it is important to visualize how water flows. When water encounters a blockage in its natural flow, it looks for gentle ways to move around or over the obstacle. Provided we aren’t talking about floodwaters, the progression is natural and methodical. I like to visualize this when dealing with resistance in my own experiences. I would like to say that I am an expert at this, but that would be lying to you. But as more opportunities come my way to practice this, I do my best to improve on the last time.
What to Do If You Want More Flow In Leading Others
Resistance is usually a sign that the other person is engaged with the outcome but fearful of what it might be. It usually manifests as “I don’t have time,” “This won’t work,” or “Let me think about it.” A simple three-step process I have adopted in my own life is as follows:
- Identify the Feeling: Don’t argue with the logic; name the resistance. (“It sounds like you’re concerned about the commitment level.”)
- State the Reality: Neutralize the tension. (“It’s a big shift from what we’ve done before.”)
- The Yielding Question: Let the water flow back. (“What would need to happen for you to feel comfortable with this?”)
Practice “The Water Response.” Look for a scenario where someone has challenged a correction or has gone against your direction. Think about how you handled it. Did you respond with “Hard Energy” (Yang)? If you did consider what might have happened instead if you used “Soft Energy” (Yin) to bring the other person back into alignment with you. The #1 reason workers and leaders quit is “People Problems.” If you teach them how to be “Water” in the face of human resistance, you have given them the tool for Leadership Longevity.
Steve Beauchamp 